In the past 25 years, housing costs have skyrocketed, but wages have not kept up. Nearly one third of renters in this area spend more than 30% of their income on housing. If we want to make sure people can afford to stay in their homes, we need to tackle the problem in several ways. Increasing the housing supply, making housing programs easier to navigate, and increasing wages are just a few of the options available to us.

In the Assembly, I voted yes to legislation that would provide tax credits and loan programs to increase housing. I also coauthored legislation to increase the minimum wage.

When I got my first job as a waitress, minimum wage was $5.15 per hour. Almost 30 years later our minimum wage has increased only $2.10 - the amount someone who can earn tips gets. We must increase the minimum wage so that folks can afford housing and meet their other basic needs.